You have always been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Let’s examine breakfast closer and find out why it’s good for you and what you should eat for breakfast. What should I eat for Breakfast?
Why Eat Breakfast?
Breakfast is important because after sleeping and not eating for 8-12 hours you are breaking the fast your body goes through every night. It’s amazing how God designed our bodies.
While we sleep, we digest, metabolize, store our food or convert it into energy. Our body uses this fasting and sleeping time to repair our bodies, heal our wounds, grow, fight off invaders and rest our brain and muscles. Sleep is just as important as breakfast.
When we wake up whether we are a night owl, sleep late, or an early bird who gets up early we are still breaking the fast and giving our body something to eat- if we do not skip breakfast.
People who skip breakfast end up eating more at the end of the day.
What Should I Eat for Breakfast?
Fluids and Food
Your body is dehydrated after it wakes up. It’s a good idea to get some fluids in your body. Many people drink coffee in the morning. I know someone who has a coffee maker on her nightstand so she doesn’t have to get out of bed to make her coffee in the morning.
I would suggest at least 4-8 ounces of water to get your body hydrated. You could even have some lemon in it if you would rather not do plain water. The water and lemon wake up your kidneys. The kidneys have been laying down all night, and the fluids in your body need to come out.
After you have your water, then go for your food and coffee within an hour of rising. As for me, I do a green tea in the morning because my stomach doesn’t want coffee in it until I’ve had my food. Catch the blog on Why Everyone should Drink Tea for more info. Mid-morning is when I get sleepy and when I drink my coffee. Your body should naturally be awake in the a.m. if you sleep well.
How much to Eat at Breakfast?
I am sure you have heard, breakfast like a king, lunch as a queen, and dinner as a pauper. The reasoning behind this is your body is hungry in the morning. Eat the most at Breakfast so you have energy and your body can metabolize it all day. As the day progresses you will want less to eat.
This doesn’t work as well for those that do not take time for breakfast or simply are not that hungry in the morning. We tend to eat our biggest meals at lunch or dinner.
I eat breakfast- but my meal is more on the queen or pauper size since I’m hungry, but not that hungry. Do what works for you, but get some food in your system or you will just eat more before you go back to bed at night. At least eating a good breakfast gives your body time to burn those calories all day. It’s like putting gas in the engine for the day.
Nutrients
Make sure you eat carbohydrates and proteins to have the sustained energy you need to get to lunch. When you eat only carbs you will usually be hungry in the next 2 hours.
A bonus is if you can eat fruit or veggies at breakfast too. By eating all the food groups at breakfast you will be eating many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to start off the day.
Aim for some veggies – this is the hardest of all. You can add spinach and kale to a smoothie or eggs, or add tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onion to your eggs. Avocado is a great way to include veggies and fat. You can even eat a salad at breakfast as they do in some countries, or eat a veggie/meat/cheese open-face sandwich. See blog on 21 ways to eat more vegetables.
Breakfast Ideas
Light Breakfast Ideas
If you are the one who isn’t hungry in the morning and must have your coffee, I suggest you at least have a latte but cut the sugar. The milk in your coffee gives you carbs and protein in your diet. You could grab toast, a piece of fruit, nuts, or yogurt with it or eat it as a snack between lunch and breakfast.
Cereal
When I grew up cereal was the big breakfast. Always 1/2 cup of juice and a bowl of cereal with milk. If you eat cereal make sure it has 3-5 grams of fiber in it so it fills you up. You will be hungry a few hours later if you eat cheerios. Bran cereal or grape nuts are pretty filling and add some fruit or nuts on top to balance it out.
Eggs
Many enjoy their eggs and that is great too. Eggs have great protein in them and the protein sources make you feel full. I like to cook my egg in the microwave and place it on toast with mashed avocado or guacamole. There are Egg ideas in my Egg blog as well as nutrition info on eggs.
Breakfast from the Freezer
Make some pancakes or waffles in big batches, freeze and pull out one at a time for a quick breakfast. You can also make eggs in a muffin pan, or breakfast burritos and freeze those to reheat at breakfast. Breakfast can be quick and easy.
Hot Cereal
Hot cereal is another option. Make your oatmeal in the microwave or on the stove. Don’t buy the little packets of oatmeal unless they are plain. One packet can have up to 12 grams of sugar! Instead, put frozen fruit on your oatmeal or slices of banana and nuts.
I also like to make steel-cut oats overnight in the crockpot and in the a.m. they are ready to eat with some nuts and cinnamon or fruit. Place the leftovers in the frig and reheat in the a.m. for future breakfasts.
Homemade Oatmeal Packets
When I traveled, I packaged 1/2 cup of quick oatmeal in a sandwich ziplock and made it in a bowl in the microwave with milk for 1 to 1.5 minutes. I added fruit, granola, or nuts to the top when it was done. They were easy to grab in the morning on the go.
So many easy breakfast choices. There is no excuse to not eat breakfast. Sit down for a 5-minute breakfast or a 15-minute breakfast or grab it and eat it on the go or at work. Make sure you and your kids get breakfast this school year.
Readers Breakfasts
A few months ago I asked my followers what they ate for breakfast and this is the list they came up with. As you can see we all eat what we like and are hungry for.
Most eat the same thing every day for breakfast. I like variety. One day it’s oatmeal the next day it’s yogurt and toast, and the next morning it’s an egg on toast.
These are the reader’s responses to my question- what do you usually eat for breakfast?
- Peanut butter and Jelly on a blueberry bagel
- Egg bagel sandwich and hashbrowns
- Cereal with sliced bananas
- 24 almonds, a cheese stick, and coffee
- Egg with cheese
- Egg veggie soup
- Peanut butter on an English muffin
- Protein shake
- Toast, scrambled egg, and fruit
- Cream of wheat
- Oatmeal crisp cereal and blueberries
One reader says- It’s important to eat a good breakfast since I may not get lunch some days.
Breakfast Idea List
Cold Cereal, hot cereal, oatmeal, toast, pancakes, waffles, omelets, eggs, breakfast burritos, smoothies, yogurt, fruits and veggies, muffins, bagels, sausage, protein shakes- These are all ideas to spark your menu planning for breakfast. Try something new you may like.
When we visited our friends, she made us eggs mixed with sauteed onion, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms cut into small pieces. It was like a stir fry egg dish. Be creative and make a variety of foods. I hope you got some great ideas and are motivated to eat breakfast daily in What should I eat for Breakfast?
My Friend’s Blueberry Muffin Recipe-
Make-ahead for the week to eat at breakfast or add to your lunch or freeze.
- 1 cup quick or old-fashioned oats (I used quick)
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen.
Makes 12 muffins. Bake 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Add ingredients in order and stir. The liquids will allow the oatmeal to soak as you add the rest of the ingredients. Stir in the blueberries after mixing all ingredients together. Spray muffin tin, add mixture and bake until golden or toothpick comes out clean.
Replace ¼ cup of sugar with 1 mashed banana if you desire less sugar.
More Blog Posts with Breakfast Recipes
Panakuken– Oven pancake for Breakfast
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I have made overnight oats and it is 0 points on Weight Watchers!
Great idea for grab and go in the morning. Thank you.